Hi everyone!
So as from the title you may have guessed that today's review is going to be on Make Up For Ever's step 1 skin equalizer - matte. The size I am reviewing is only the travel size as I wanted to see how I liked the primer first before giving in on the splurge of the full size. The travel size is currently £13 from Debenhams in the UK whilst the full size fluctuates depending on where you get it from.
As you can see from the picture, this product is very much been used a lot of times by now! I wanted to try this for a few months to give you the most accurate review of this with it being such a high end and expensive product. Make Up For Ever have claimed that their step 1 range of primers have been developed to refine, smooth and even out skin tones. So for this primer particularity, Make Up For Ever have said that this will instantly reduces pore size whilst controlling the shine of makeup all day long. Was this the case? Let's find out...
So I'm actually going to do my review a little bit differently today by just going through the review all in one without sectioning into good and bad points. Reason being is because I feel as if for every good point this primer has...along comes it's downside to it.
So to start off with this must be the worlds most matte primers out there. This is such a smooth creamy formula which glides and smooths out the skin when applied. This does such a good job of leaving the surface of the skin matte whilst at the same time feeling smooth. This primer does make the pores less visible but I wouldn't say it completely reduces the size of them as such. Even though this primer is so matte and is supposed to have a staying power of all day, with my very oily skin I find that this primer does pro long the wear of my makeup but does not keep me matte throughout the day. I'd say with using this primer + a matte powder to set everything my makeup lasts about 4-5 hours without needing a touch up. For me, I work 8 hour days so I do have to touch up on breaks which I do not really want to be doing BUT us with oily skin have to put up with this unfortunately.
For me, I find that the longevity all depends on what foundation I use over the top of this. For example...When using this with Estee Lauder's double wear I can manage 5-6 hours without needing touchups. Compared to when I use this with Too Faced born this way foundation It will last 3-4 hours. For me, that's quite disappointing because the whole point of a matte primer is to pro long the wear of my foundation especially in this case as the born this way foundation looks lovely on the skin but is not really made for oily skin types.
How the primer looks |
I do like how once this primer has set it does not feel heavy on the skin. It actually feels some what hydrating from an oily persons view! This does have a smell to it which is quite fragranced but only subtly. This should not be enough to put anyone off as it is just a hint of something. This comes out of the tube with a white to transparent colour to it which soon blends out to be invisible once on the skin. This primer may feel lightweight at first but I notice that when I do use this primer I feel that when the oilier places of my skin start to show off, my face does feel heavier with makeup than usual.
Overall I do this this is a decent primer. I have had this primer since the first week of January of 2016 and still have loads more product left as a little goes a long way. My advice is to purchase the travel size as it is cheaper and you will get loads of use out of it. Those with dry skin I should stay away from the MATTE primer of the step 1 collection in which Make Up For Ever have to offer and try one of their more hydrating primers. Those with normal/combo, combo/oily or oily skin will be fine with this. Those with oily skin though please think about taking some blotting papers or powder out with you.
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